The influence of an adhesive system on shear bond strength of repaired high-copper amalgams.

The shear bond strengths of intact high-copper spherical and admixed amalgams were compared with repaired high-copper spherical and admixed amalgam specimens with and without the use of an adhesive system (Amalgambond). In the spherical group the shear bond strength of the repaired specimens was found to be 55 and 53.2% of the intact specimens without and with the use of the adhesive system. After thermocycling those percentages were 48.5 and 43. In the admixed groups those percentages were 39, 36.5, 34.5, and 35.2 respectively. It was found that the application of Amalgambond did not significantly increase the strength of the repaired amalgam. Thermocycling only had a significantly adverse effect on the repair strength in the admixed group repaired without an adhesive system.